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TOP STORIES FOR
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2004
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Mayor's First Round Table Meeting Sets Agenda for Thursday |
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The McKenzie City Council on Thursday this week will
consider approval of new voting wards, a request for a
$1,000 donation to the McKenzie Memorial Library, plans
for the Fourth of July celebration, a renewed bid cycle
for waste pickup, and a request from Project Graduation
for a $100 donation.
Council members gathered at City Hall Thursday last week
for their first official informal meeting in preparation
for this week's regular meeting of the Board of Mayor
and Council, scheduled for Thursday, January 22 at 7:00
p.m.
Mayor Walter Winchester stated the sole purpose of the
informal meetings - deemed study sessions or workshops -
was to set the coming agenda, and receive information.
No votes would take place other than the opening and
closing of the meetings, and debate would be avoided, he
advised council members.
"This will be a time to ask questions and request
additional information," he said, allowing the meeting
would "give council members time to reflect on data and
hopefully will relieve on-the-spot decisions."
WARDS TO BE REDISTRICTED
Acting on a promise to redefine voting districts in
January this year, council members approved the agenda
item and reviewed old wards and a map tentatively
similar to one expected to be received by MTAS
(Municipal Technical Advisory Service) on Wednesday
before the January 22 formal meeting.
Mayor Winchester advised the new proposal will bring
each of six voting wards much closer to equal
representation of the population, with a difference
between wards of only 36-40 citizens. The greatest
changes will occur in Ward 4, which currently
encompasses some 1165 individuals, and Ward 2, which
will change in population from 574 to around 877. Ward 1
will also gain in representation while Ward 6 will gain
"several" members and Ward 3 will lose some. Mayor
Winchester declined to provide more specific numbers
until he has received certified numbers from MTAS.
Election Registrar Linda Radford on Friday stated
registered voters will not need to take any further
action, so long as they reside in the ward in which they
are registered to vote. However, those who have not
updated their address with the Election Commission will
need to update their registration information.
She advised there are 3,144 registered voters in
McKenzie.
Vice-mayor Gene Hale and Councilmember Darra Adkins
expressed their willingness to set up a voter's
registration center at City Hall following the
redistricting.
LIBRARY AT RISK AFTER FAILING TO MEET CONTRACT
Budget woes passed from state to county to city
governments have resulted in the McKenzie Memorial
Library being at risk of losing their standing as a
member of the Reelfoot Regional Library system, Mayor
Winchester advised Council members.
Council members approved the inclusion of the agenda
item for the January 22 meeting, with Councilmember
Darra Adkins wondering how many people currently utilize
the library and Vice-mayor Gene Hale and Councilmember
Jerry Arthur advising, "You'd be surprised."
"It's one of the first places new industries check if
they come to town," said Mr. Hale.
McKenzie Memorial Library Librarian Glenda Chambers on
Friday concurred, "This is the busiest place in town."
Carroll County reportedly cut their support of the
McKenzie library from $8000 to $7000, resulting in a
shortfall that can only be replaced by government funds
in order to meet the library's "maintenance of effort"
clause which dictates governmental support must remain
the same as the previous year minus any capital
improvements, according to Reelfoot Regional Library
representative Susan Rogers.
The clause is meant to ensure the library has enough
capital with which to operate, said Rogers. "Donations
are wonderful but we can't count on that from year to
year," she said, "especially when most libraries operate
on a shoestring anyway."
Many donations are one-time memorials, for instance, she
explained.
She verified money was cut from the Carroll County
budget for both the McKenzie and Carroll County
libraries, however, the funds were restored by the
County for the Carroll County Library in the amount of
$64,000.00.
"It was a misunderstanding," she said, stating Carroll
County Mayor Kenny McBride thought the reinstatement of
those funds was sufficient to restore the integrity of
both libraries.
When the continued shortfall was realized, Mrs. Rogers
said, Mr. McBride felt he couldn't return to the County
Commission to ask for another adjustment in the budget.
"The feeling is that McKenzie should take care of
McKenzie's library," she said.
McKenzie currently funds the salary for the librarian of
the McKenzie Memorial Library to the tune of $11,000.00
per year (30 hours per week at $6.50 per hour.) The
library, located at 15 Broadway in downtown McKenzie, is
open Monday and Friday from 9:00 - 5:00 and Tuesday and
Thursday 10:00 - 5:00.
Ms Chambers stated during the past fiscal year the
library received $326.00 in donations and $620.00 in
memorials plus a $2,000.00 donation from the BPW
(Business and Professional Women's Club.) This fiscal
year the Rotary Club has donated $500.00.
Ms. Chambers stated monies for electricity and gas plus
building upkeep come directly from library funds. Other
expenditures for building repair have been met by the
BPW, the club that began the library when it was located
in the old City Hall building and that was charged with
its maintenance following its reorganization at its
current location. BPW President Dawn Sacks Dukes stated
Friday that monies raised for the library are maintained
in the club's account until such time as maintenance and
other needs arise.
The Town of Huntingdon donates $3,000 per year to the
Carroll County Library, which, while serving the county,
is located in the Town of Huntingdon. Carroll County
Library sources confirmed Friday the library serves only
the citizens of Carroll County.
The McKenzie Library also serves customers across the county, as
well as other towns such as Gleason, Henry, and outlying
towns of Carroll County for whom the McKenzie Library is
more accessible than the library in Huntingdon.
FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION TO BE CONSIDERED
To be considered is re-approval of $6,000 already
budgeted for McKenzie's annual Independence Day
celebration that last year was deemed the Fourth of July
"Freedom Festival" with two live bands and concessions
available to early comers to the City Park.
"It costs an arm and a leg but it's become a tradition,"
said Vice-mayor Hale. Councilmember Jerry Arthur
recalled the "uproar" that ensued when the council voted
to do away with the event ten years ago.
Council members discussed briefly the possibility of
generating income through the event that brings carloads
of observers not only to the City Park but which line
every side road and highway within view of the skies
above the park.
Mayor Winchester advised Popes Concessions - which
provided carnival rides and concessions during the
McKenzie's Hometown Christmas celebration - is
unavailable during that time but had advised they would
attempt to refer another carnival company to the city.
WASTE CONTRACT ENDS IN MAY
The City's second five-year contract with Barker
Brothers Waste Inc. expires in May, stated Mayor
Winchester, who cited Municipal Technical Advisory
Service sources in advising "it would be a good idea" to
advertise for bids for the new contract. He stated Waste
Management, Inc. (based in Houston, Texas and provider
of waste services for Huntingdon and Jackson) came
forward expressing interest in submitting a bid. Barker
Brothers Waste, Inc. is based in Troy, Tennessee.
PROJECT GRADUATION TO REQUEST $100 DONATION
City Clerk Charlie Beal announced $800 remains of $3200
budgeted for donations. The Council will on Thursday
consider whether to donate $100 to Project Graduation,
an effort at keeping graduating seniors in a safe,
drug-free environment during an all-night celebration
that begins the evening of graduation. |
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Huntingdon Represents Southeast with "Deck of 55" |
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Marine Col. Dennis Arinello presented a "Deck of 55" to
Huntingdon Mayor Dale Kelley, town officials and
citizens of the town he has adopted as his own hometown.
The Town of Huntingdon was
chosen as one of only six U.S. towns and cities to
receive a "Deck of 55" - a deck of playing cards
released last April in conjunction with a list of the 55
"most wanted" members of Saddam Hussein's former
government. The cards feature the photo, name and former
role of each Iraqi fugitive. Two Jokers explain Arab
tribal titles and Iraqi military ranks. Silhouettes
represent those for whom photos were unavailable. Only
13 of the most wanted remain at large as of the first
week of the new year.
"We got the Ace of Spades a couple of weeks ago," said
Marine Col. Dennis Arinello, who traveled to Huntingdon
from Norfolk, Virginia on Friday, January 16 to present
the cards to Mayor Dale Kelley and the Town of
Huntingdon at City Hall.
Col. Arinello explained to some 20 town officials and
citizens in attendance that he and other Marine officers
deployed in Iraq had decided they needed to find some
way to thank the people of America for their
"overwhelming support" and to help them understand "what
the armed forces has been asked to do."
"It's phenomenal," he declared. "The notes and pictures
I got - that every one of us got - the support and love
and prayers and everything else we received. Letters
from school kids and goodie bags; literally tons and
tons and tons of mail, pictures, cookies, toothpaste,
clean socks... There's no way we can ever repay anybody
for their time and effort, especially school children.
"When you get a letter from a seven year old that says,
'You are my hero, I pray for you every night,' that
touches your heart," he continued. "And it wasn't just
kids, it was whole families, moms and dads sitting down
with their sons and daughters to write letters."
Marine Col. Dennia Arinello explains the "Deck of
55" and other aspects of the Iraq War to an
interested public. |
The American fighting man and woman replaced sports
and action heroes to become that child's role model, he
said, adding that is the same reason TIME Magazine chose
the American soldier as their Person of the Year.
He was correct, as TIME writer Nancy Gibbs notes: "They
swept across Iraq and conquered it in 21 days. They
stand guard on streets pot-holed with skepticism and
rancor. They caught Saddam Hussein. They are the face of
America, its might and good will, in a region unused to
democracy. The U.S. G.I. is TIME's Person of the Year."
Among the five other cities receiving "Decks of 55" are
Indianapolis, Indiana and Jacksonville, North Carolina.
Due to his friendship with Mayor Dale Kelley and his
heartfelt adoption of Huntingdon as his hometown, Col.
Arinello chose Huntingdon to represent the entire
southeast region of the United States in receiving the
cards as well as the thanks of the grateful Marines and
Sailors of the Marine Logistics Command
He became acquainted with Mayor Kelley seven years ago
in his role as a basketball official. Mayor Kelley is
Coordinator of Men's Basketball Officials for five
division conferences: Big 12, Conference USA, Sunbelt,
WAC and Southland.
(more in the print issue of The McKenzie Banner) |
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Lotto Fever Hits Tennessee |
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By Jim Steele
steele@mckenziebanner.com |
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It's 4 a.m. Tuesday and the phone has already rung a
couple of times at Mega Mart in McKenzie.
Store manager John Nicoletti answers queries about the
Tennessee Lottery, which went into operation at
midnight.
"I've been here since 1 a.m. and already we've had eight
calls," Nicoletti says.Lotto fever has taken root in
Tennessee.
Tuesday was the day that Tennesseans were able to play
four games of chance in the form of scratch-off cards as
the Tennessee Lottery became a reality. All money raised
by lottery sales will directly benefit education in
Tennessee.
"We're excited about this," Nicoletti said, expecting a
bounce in store traffic as a result. But that's not why
he's excited. "I really think this is going to help
Tennessee education. I think this will get us
kick-started to a new level and that's what we are doing
it for, the kids. We think that this will be run where
the kids will directly benefit."
There will be 14 nearby outlets where lottery tickets
may be purchased. Mega Mart in McKenzie is one of them.
Others in McKenzie include Eagle Food Stores, Little
General, Maverick Quick Stop, McKenzie Amoco and Smoke
Shack. Little General in Trezevant will have tickets
available. In Huntingdon, players may purchase tickets
at Amo's, Choice Technology, Swifty T, and West End
Service Center. In the Bruceton-Hollow Rock area, stores
include MC's, Tobacco Shack and Tiger Mart. In Henry,
McFadden Garage and Auto will have tickets available.
Mega Mart says it will offer its tickets for sale 24
hours a day, seven days a week. But the store won't be
able to make payouts between the hours of midnight and 6
a.m. because each ticket must be validated by the state
computer. The computers are shut down for maintenance
during those hours.
As a lotto primer, four scratch-off games will be
presented. "Tennessee Millionaire" and "Lucky 7" will
cost $1; "Tennessee Treasures" tickets are $2; "$100,000
Jackpot" tickets are $5. Games where players may pick
numbers for a drawing won't be offered for another two
months.
"That's what we are told," said Nicoletti. "And we're
told we might be in with a multi-state lottery, like
Powerball, but we don't know what it is yet."
Odds for the scratch-off tickets range from 1 in 3.3 to
1 in 4.96. Prizes range from a free ticket to thousands
of dollars. Different stores will handle their payouts
differently. Nicoletti says, for safety reasons, his
store will pay cash for prizes up to $50. From $51 to
$599, the store will issue a money order. Prizes $600
and above must be redeemed through the Tennessee Lottery
office. They can be redeemed through mail or through one
of several district offices.
The lottery has been a source of controversy and many
will be opposed. Nicoletti says at Mega Mart, those who
don't want to participate in the lottery may get their
gas, food, drinks, etc. and pay at a non-lottery cash
register.
"All Mega Mart stores are doing this as a courtesy to
those who object to the lottery," he said. "We don't
want to offend anyone."
The state mandates that all sales are cash. Checks,
credit cards and debit cards cannot be used to obtain
lottery tickets. Also all players must be at least 18
years old.
Funds from the lottery will be used to create college
and vocational scholarships for students across the
state. Those include the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship,
General Assembly Merit Scholarship, Need-Based
Supplemental Award, Tennessee HOPE Access Grant and
Wilder-Naifeh Technical Skills Grant.
The first Tennessee HOPE Scholarships will be awarded
this year for the Fall 2004 term. Information on the
lottery scholarships is available at tennessee.gov/tsac. |
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These
stories and more exclusively in the
print edition: |
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- Grand Opening Culminates Four Years of "Blood, Sweat
and Grit"
- Revenue Loss Highlights Bruceton Board Meeting
- Alexander Praises Bethel, Advocates More Local
Control
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Phone (731) 352-3323 or Fax (731)
352-3322
washburn@mckenziebanner.com
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